


Sator Rotas

by ChokolatteJedi



Category: Warehouse 13
Genre: Challenge Response, Community: 1_million_words, Gen, Magical Artifacts, Oops, Palindromes, Puns & Word Play
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-11
Updated: 2013-08-11
Packaged: 2017-12-23 05:39:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/922645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChokolatteJedi/pseuds/ChokolatteJedi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pete and Myka are doing a little Warehouse 2 Inventory</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sator Rotas

**Author's Note:**

> For the 1_Million_Words daily challenge, with the word 8/2, "Palindrome"

"How many more of these are there?" Pete asked as he settled an ancient rock onto the shelves.

Myka consulted her clipboard. "Three more in this load. But we're supposed to get a whole truckload from Warehouse 2 in a few days."

"Great," Pete groaned. "More priceless _rock_ artifacts." He turned back to the cart and picked up the next one. "Attack cat ta?"

"What?" Myka asked.

"Attack cat ta? A nut for a jar of tuna! Abba!"

Myka put down her clipboard and stared at Pete. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Live evil," he replied with a shrug.

Myka quickly put her hand on his forehead. "Ma is as selfless as I am."

Pete pulled away quickly. "Hannah?" he questioned.

"Otto!" she snapped, "Step on no pets! Ma is as selfless as I am!"

"Able was I ere I saw Elba." Pete replied looking worried. "Live evil?"

"On a clover, if alive erupts a vast pure evil, a fire volcano!" Myka insisted, her eyes widening. "Do geese see God?"

Pete dropped the large stone and backed away from it quickly. "Go hang a salami, I'm a lasagna hog!" he shouted. "Anna!"

"Anna!" Myka yelled.

"ANNA!"

A few minutes later, Artie hurried around the corner, Claudia on his heels. "What are you two yelling about?" he asked.

"Anna!" Myka sounded relieved. "Dammit, I'm mad!"

Artie looked skeptical. "Okay, why?"

Myka looked frustrated. "Aoxomoxoa!"

"Anna!" Pete interrupted. "Satan Oscillate My Metallic Sonatas!"

"Ooh!" Claudia snapped her fingers. "Good album!"

Pete threw his hands up. "If I had a hi-fi!" he groaned.

"Anna!" Myka complained.

Artie looked very quickly between the two before turning to Claudia. "Did you understand that?" he asked.

Claudia shrugged. "Well, just the one part. Satan Oscillate My Metallic Sonatas. It's a Soundgarden album."

"Rats live on no evil star!" Pete said cheerfully, raising one hand to give her a high five.

Claudia's hand was in midair when Artie grabbed her wrist. "Don't touch him. Now, what is so important about this album?"

Claudia looked surprised. "Well, other than just sounding good, not much. The title's a palindrome, though, which is pretty cool. Though if you're looking for the master of palindrome titles you want Andrew Bird. His album, _Noble-_ "

"Wait, a palindrome?" Artie repeated.

"Madam!" Myka exclaimed. "A Toyota's a Toyota"

Artie peered around before focusing on the block that Pete had set down. "Claudia, get the hose," he said. "It looks like this artifact still had a little juice left in it."

"Racecar?" Pete questioned.

Artie grinned. "Pete, you somehow activated the Sator Square. It's a block from Herculaneum that forms a palindromatic square. From top to bottom, left to right, backwards and forwards it spells the same thing every direction. _Sator Arepo Tenet Opera Rotas._ It takes what you're saying and transforms it into palindromes. You know, before we found the babel stones, it was believed that this bad boy was responsible for the Tower of Babel incident. And in-"

"ARORA!" Pete and Myka both yelled.

Claudia raced back over. "I've got the goo gun!" she cried.

"Good," Artie stepped out of the way. "Dowse them. And that!" he gestured at the block.

Claudia quickly complied, soaking all three in the purple goo. As the stone square crackled with energy, Myka and Pete began to giggle. With a sigh, Artie turned away. "When you're done and you've gotten them somewhere where they can't hurt themselves, will you please clean all this up?" he asked Claudia tiredly.

"Satan Oscillate My Metallic Sonatas, Anna!" she replied with a salute. Artie gave her a sharp look, and she quickly held up her hands in defense. "Kidding!"


End file.
